The Woody Allen Collection, Set 1 (Annie Hall/Manhattan/Sleeper/Bananas/Interiors/Stardust Memories/Love and Death/Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask)

Amazon.com

Starting with 1971's Bananas, Woody Allen's second film as director, this set of eight movies includes all of Allen's work as a director up to 1980, when he wrestled with his own popularity in the Fellini-esque Stardust Memories, showcasing the distinctive arc of a filmmaker who moved from lighthearted movies to more serious fare that still remains breathtaking after 20 years. In between those two movies, there are wonderful trips of comedy, tragedy and romance to be had. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask is a hilarious set of vignettes based on the popular instructional manual, the most notable a segment featuring Gene Wilder's infatuation with a female sheep. The futuristic Sleeper and the underrated Love and Death showcase Allen at his funniest, especially the latter, which tackles the weighty subjects of Russian novels and Bergman films with adroit parody.

Allen's Oscar-winning Annie Hall is one of the most joyous (and melancholy) romances ever made, with a star-making turn by Diane Keaton and a witty screenplay (cowritten with Marshall Brickman) that remains one of Allen's best. Allen did a 180 with the Bergman-esque Interiors, a sometimes stilted drama that nonetheless presaged the dysfunctional-family drama of films like Ordinary People and featured outstanding performances by Geraldine Page and Mary Beth Hurt, as well as unparalleled cinematography by Gordon Willis. The last two films in the set--the romantic Manhattan and the acidic Stardust Memories--are both gorgeously shot in black and white and represent Allen at the peak of his creative powers, as he wrestles with the meaning of life in terms of both love and art, albeit from different perspectives. Indispensable to any film fan, this boxed set represents nothing less than a landmark of American cinema. --Mark Englehart

Description

Disc 1: ANNIE HALL Disc 2: EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK Disc 3: INTERIORS Disc 4: LOVE AND DEATH Disc 5: MANHATTAN Disc 6: SLEEPER Disc 7: STARDUST MEMORIES Disc 8: BANANAS

Customer Reviews:

Prelude to the Later Masterpieces.......2007-09-16

I've seen these films over the the years numerous times, never really loved them, but recognize them now as the necessary practice of a developing talent, who has grown enormously over the years. Yes, "Annie Hall" is a kick, but compared to "Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Hannah and Her Sisters," and "Deconstructing Harry," it must be seen as a young work, well-conceived, but lacking the depth of his more mature work. Others disagree, of course, and why not? There are numerous bright spots in these films. Certainly "Manhattan" is a unique love-poem to the city. Woody's preoccupation with Dostoevsky is shown to great affect in "Love and Death," but all in all I prefer his late work, and believe that Mia Farrow played a crucial role in inspiring his mature phase. Woody himself has expressed reservations for his work overall. There are indeed limitations, and it is doubtful that he will ever be compared to the greats. But he is certainly great enough for me. He remains the most exciting director of our generation.

The best Woody Allen collection.......2007-03-19

Enjoyed Annie Hall again last night - Best Picture, 1977? My husband loved Bananas and all of the earlier movies.

The Woody Allen Collection - 8 pack.......2007-02-08

Great collection of early Woody Allen titles. Nicely presented in slip cover box. Great value for money. Can't wait to get started on them!

not able to run them in European dvd-s.......2007-01-23

Totally disappointed!!!
I love Woody Allen, love his films
BUT - dvd-s are coded for US market and are not possible to be viewed on our European dvd -s
total waste of money
you should have warned me on that

Barbara Kalas, architect from Croatia

It doesn't get much better than this..........2005-06-18

No one will doubt that Woody Allen is the only director who has consistently mastered the art of writing and directing intelligent, funny, unforgettable stories. These films are great examples of that. Fromk Annie Hall to Sleeper [I haven't viewed Stardust Memories yet], you will be completely satisfied with your purchase. Here's an overview of the films:

Annie Hall: Allem's best film, hands down. The story of a couple who meets in a New York tennis club. Allen plays Alvy Singer, a carbon copy of Allen's stereotypical self [neurotic, clumsy, "suave"], while Keaton, who gives a stunning performance, plays Annie Hall, a country girl from Wisconsin trying to find a life in New York. A great story about relationships. The last paragraph that Allen narrates is fabulous. Don't watch this film first, or you may not appreciate Allen's other work as much!

Bananas: On the sillier side, this film is about Fielding Mellish, another character based on himself. Mellish works for a large corporation. Testing products. If you are at all familiar with Allen, you already know that there is a witty scene coming up. Mellish travels to the small Latin American country of San Marcos to find something to do. He ends up becoming the communist dictator there, and that is all I will say.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* *But were afraid to ask: A great satire on the popular book. This is a series of seven small sex stories, varying from Gene Wilder's affair with a sheep to a giant, deadly mammary. Watch for Allen's coolest role as Fabrizio, the Italian.

Interiors: A stunning film [very serious] about a wealthy Long Island family that steers away from the mother. This film is beautifully shot, and it really pays a lot of attention to showing every aspect of every character. Tension builds quickly, and it stays until the end.

Love and Death: One of my personal top five Allen films. This one is about Napoleon trying to take over Russia. Allen plays Boris Grushenko, a Russian Catholic, who falls in love with his distant cousin, Sonja [Keaton]. This one is nonstop laughs, but only if you are familiar with the war and the works of Russian writers. It is still very funny otherwise, but not as deeply funny.

Manhattan: Similar to Annie Hall, but a little different. Allen plays Isaac Davis, who falls in love with a seventeen year old [Mariel Hemingway], and also with Mary [Keaton], an overly pretentious New Yorker at the same time. This story is again about relationship, but this one is extreme. Shot in black and white, and accompanied by a George Gershwin soundtrack, many Allen fans consider this film his love letter to New York City. It is also considered his best by many people. I think he has made better, but this is a stunning film.

Sleeper: Sleeper is 'Love and Death' set in the future. A great film about Allen, who is frozen in 1973, and defrosted 200 years later. Great jokes, chase scenes, and more. In one scene, Diane Keaton and a leader of a revolutionist underground organization re-create scenes from his childhood. Another joke about the NRA. Sleeper is probably the best film to see if one wants a good introduction to Allen's style.

All in all, this collection is a must-own. Also, at less than ten dollars per DVD, no fan should pass this up. Separately, they cost more. Buy this today and you will be granted a good taste in motion pictures!

Average customer rating:

A 180-degee turn away from Allen's comedies
A cinematic Vermeer
Such an engaging film about mental instability
All these women cry and whisper on Long Island
A Dysfunctional Woody Allen Prior to Therapy

Interiors
Starring: Kristin Griffith , Mary Beth Hurt , Richard Jordan , Diane Keaton , and E.G. Marshall
Director: Woody Allen
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: 0792846087
Release Date: 2000-07-05

Amazon.com essential video

Although indisputably a film by Woody Allen, Interiors is about as far from "a Woody Allen film" as you can get--and maybe more people could have seen what a fine film it is if they hadn't been expecting what Allen himself called "one of his earlier, funnier movies." An entirely serious, rather too self-consciously Bergmanesque drama about a divorcing elderly couple and their grown daughters, it is slow, meditative, and constructed with a brilliant, painterly eye. There is no music--a simple effect that Allen uses with extraordinary power. In fact, half the film is filled with silent faces staring out of windows, yet the mood is so engaging, hypnotic even, that you never feel the director is poking you in the ribs and saying, "somber atmosphere." Diane Keaton, released for once from the goofy ditz stereotype, shines as the "successful" daughter. Some of the dialogue is stilted, and it's hard to tell whether this is a deliberate effect or simply the way repressed upscale New Yorkers talk after too many years having their self-absorption sharpened on the therapist's couch. Fanatical, almost childish self-regard is the chief subject of Allen's comedy--it's remarkable that in this film he was able to remove the comedy but leave room for us to pity and care about these rather irritating people. --Richard Farr

Description

An "intensely provocative [and] searing dissection of human behavior" (New York Daily News),Interiors marked a cinematic watershed for Woody Allen. In his first serious drama, Allen's interest in the human condition was not purely farcical and not limited to quick-wit and slapstick gags. Exploring the dynamics of a family in crisis, Interiors is "destined to become a landmark of American filmmaking" (The Hollywood Reporter). Nominated* for 5 Academy AwardsÂ(r). When Eve (Geraldine Page), an interior designer, is deserted by her husband of many years, Arthur (E.G. Marshall), the emotionally glacial relationships of their three grown daughters arelaid bare. Twisted by jealousy, insecurity and resentment, Renata (Diane Keaton), a successful writer; Flyn (Kristin Griffith), a woman crippled by indecision; and Joey (Mary Beth Hurt) a budding actress; struggle to communicate for the sake of their shattered mother. But when their father unexpectedly falls for another woman (Maureen Stapleton), his decision to remarry sets in motion a terrible twist of fate with tragically unexpected consequences. Academy AwardÂ(r)-winning** cast. *1978: Actress (Page), Supporting Actress (Stapleton), Director, Original Screenplay, Art Direction **Page: Actress, The Trip to Bountiful (1985); Keaton: Actress, Annie Hall (1977); Stapleton: Supporting Actress, Reds (1981)

Customer Reviews:

A 180-degee turn away from Allen's comedies.......2007-08-22

This film is moody, brooding, stark, and even the gray and tan costumes complement the colors of the beach house's interiors. The interiors of the rooms, in fact, mirror the insides of each person in this family, from the man who wants out of his marriage to the woman who wants to remain in it to the three daughters whose own relationships are suffering.
A fine cast including some Allen regulars like Diane Keaton, as well as a young Sam Waterston, give powerful performances here.

A cinematic Vermeer.......2007-08-17

Woody Allen's Interiors is a painting in motion. One can watch the film with the sound down and derive great meaning from it's imagery.
Especially fasciating is the intrusion of the great Maureen Stapleton in her earthy glory, resurrecting a family being buried under the pressures of art, beauty and intellectualism. I won't make the oft heard Bergman parallel as this movie excels on its own terms.

Such an engaging film about mental instability.......2007-08-07

Who knows what this film is truly trying to communicate universally, but what it showed to me was it's feelings about multiple perspectives and how some people remember how things were because of something that was said, or happened, and another feels a certain way because of how things currently are.
This film also makes a sad statement about psychaitry, I feel, in it's relation to humanity. The family is irreparably damaged because they way they communicate to one another has become cold, detached, and impersonal in the worst ways. Everyone needs someone to talk to when they need to sort something out mentally and part of the reason these people are messed up is they have no one to talk to except the shrinks, or they simply hold it inside, and I'm not sure which one is better: to have your truth told to you and it possibly being false, or to deny the feelings that are dying to get out. People become damaged when they don't know how to constructively understand what is going on and most times all they need is someone to talk to in order to become illuminated about what's going on, or the conversation puts them in a state to understand things honestly. That anyone has to pay someone to listen to them sort out their problems and/or come up with a hypothesis is pathetic. This should be a free service that is compassionately given amongst friends and family and if everyone got that the topic of this movie wouldn't exist.
This movie is devastating for its quiet ambience and frail, brilliant, performances. My evening was darkly settled as the credits rolled by without the music I had become accustomed to in other Allen films. I was surprised by the overall downbeat nature of this film, but I got the idea of what it was right at the beginning. Having seen some of his half-serious films made me wonder what a completely serious film by him would be like and with this film, I have my answer. In some ways, I think Woody Allen understands drama better than most directors alive today and that's because he has such a deep understanding of comedy. The story is bleak, but it definitely sparked a deep conversation afterward. I love that he made this film, I just don't love it, but I highly respect it and regard it as one of his best and most important films within his body of work.

All these women cry and whisper on Long Island.......2007-05-19

"Interiors" (1978) - is the first Woody Allen's attempt to create a straight drama film after the series of hilarious comedies ("Bananas", "Everything you always wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask", "Sleeper") and one if his most famous dramedies, "Annie Hall". "Interiors" is Allen's dissection of an upper middle class family in crisis. The story is not original. Arthur (E.G. Marshall), the husband of a Long Island interior designer Eve (Geraldine Page), demanding and imperious, and father of their three grown daughters (Diane Keaton, Marybeth Hurt and Kristin Griffith), informs his wife that he wanted a trial separation. She hopes that it is temporary but soon learns that there is another woman involved, (Maureen Stapleton), twice a widow, "a vulgarian" who does not belong to the upper class but is full of life, humor, and warmth and whom Arthur wants to marry. More than anything, this movie reminds the most famous shot in Bergman's "Persona" - two faces combined in one. You are not sure which features are Liv's and which - Bibi's. With "Interiors", it is difficult to say where Bergman ends and Allen begins. I would also compare Allen's first exercise in creating a serious drama to Bergman's attempt in comedy, "All these women". Both masters tried to do something different from what they were expected by the critics and their audience and both did not achieve a success. I respect Allen's homage to Bergman's work but I think he is much more interesting when he combines drama and comedy in his films. I admire his ability to create the movies that are subtle and cruel, darker than dark and self-ironic, profound and touchingly poignant, deadly serious and incredibly funny - at the same time. Not this time.

A Dysfunctional Woody Allen Prior to Therapy.......2006-10-31

I think Woody Allen is the best director currently in the business and I believe his serious-themed movies are the reason. He excells at making us look at ourselves. If I'm not mistaken, "Interiors" was his first venture into dramatic movies. For having led the way, this movie is noteworthy. However, it is also exemplary in helping define the genre of the Woody Allen movie. It defines the Woody Allen film by showing us what it is not.

Woody Allen's greatness is in being able to let us take a critical look at ourselves. His characters have faults that we share. Whatever passions that we have fallen prey to, we see them in a new light through Allen's masterful script and direction. The problem with "Interiors" is that most of us could not relate to the problems that the characters in "Interiors" have. Many of them belong under the category of mental illness while others are taken too far to the extreme to be relevant to us. Woody was on the right track but he was overly influenced by Ingar Bergman. Allen's own style quickly emerged after this movie and we have been the better for it.

Taken in its' own right, "Interiors" is an above-average movie. The acting is excellent and the mood of the movie is very tense in a somber manner. The movie is simply overwhelming and we are left wondering who would ever have been so deranged as to have married into this mess. These people deserve themselves and that is an observation that applies to no other Woody Allen cast (with the bumbling exception of the cast of "What's New Pussycat?").

Woody Allen took a turn towards drama and hit a speed bump on the way. Fortunately, he learned from his experience.

Interior and Exterior Home Inspection from A to Z - DVD - Real Estate Home Inspector, Homeowner, Home Buyer and Seller Survival Kit Series

Average customer rating:

Don't waste your money
READ BEFORE BUYING -- Nicely done
Good as usual
Found this dvd to be the best overall for checking my house
By far the best DVD in it's category - Teaches all essentials!

Interior and Exterior Home Inspection from A to Z - DVD - Real Estate Home Inspector, Homeowner, Home Buyer and Seller Survival Kit Series
Starring: Guy Cozzi
Manufacturer: Nemmar Real Estate Training
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000209N1K
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Amazon.com

Don't let your dream house be a nightmare in disguise! Everything you need to know about Real Estate - from Asbestos to Zoning. This 5-star rated DVD has over an hour of video and as an added bonus you also get the 80 page HIB DVD Companion Guide e-Book. This DVD shows the precise steps to follow to inspect all of the INTERIOR and EXTERIOR of a home.

The INTERIOR and EXTERIOR DVD topics include: roof, chimneys, siding, eaves, gutters, drainage and grading, windows, walkways, entrances and porches, driveways, walls and fences, patios and terraces, decks, swimming pools, exterior structures, wood destroying insects, garage, kitchen, bathrooms, floors and stairs, walls and ceilings, windows and doors, fireplaces, attics, ventilation, insulation, basement/lower level, water penetration.

The OPERATING SYSTEMS inspection topics are covered in our other DVD that can be purchased separately. The OPERATING SYSTEMS DVD topics include: heating systems (gas, oil, steam, hot water, and hot air heating), air-conditioning, water heaters, plumbing, well water system, septic system, electrical system, gas service, and auxiliary systems. Health Concerns topics including: asbestos insulation, radon gas, and water testing.

This is definitely the best home inspection DVD series on the market! Created by Guy Cozzi who is a licensed appraiser, home inspector, consultant, and real estate investor. This top selling author has been quoted as a real estate expert by the New York Times and many other publications. He has been a guest speaker on real estate investment TV shows for years. Guy Cozzi has taught thousands of people how to inspect, appraise and invest in real estate and provides advice to many banks and mortgage lenders. This DVD license does not allow rentals of the DVD.

Customer Reviews:

Don't waste your money.......2007-08-16

This DVD looks like it was made about 20 years ago - shot with video and real cheesy annoying production. I would overlook these short comings if the information was in anyway insightful but there is not much here beyond basic common sense.

here I'll sum it up for you

1 poke wood and siding with a awl or screwdriver to make sure its not rotten
2 shake counters and hand rails - jump on floor and stairs to see if solid
3 look for stains, mold, or cracks on ceilings and walls
4 turn appliances on & off

seriously I would only suggest this product if it were a free library rental

READ BEFORE BUYING -- Nicely done.......2006-11-11

This was a nicely done DVD by Cozzi. I would recommend this for anyone in the real estate business, agents, home inspectors, and investors -- to know what to do/see/look for when getting into properties. If you're interested in similar titles, I also suggest Investing Without Losing (ISBN 0978834607 NOT on amazn, other stores)

Good as usual.......2006-08-22

This DVD is a straight forward overview of interior home inspection. I bought the video to double check on my actual inspector.
By viewing this, I am sure that the real inspection was thorough and professional.

I was very impressed.

Found this dvd to be the best overall for checking my house.......2006-03-07

This dvd was the best overall choice I made when buying books and dvds to learn about house maintenance, construction and home inspections. It would have been helpful if I purchased this sooner when I was working alongside the builder who built my house.

I wasn't aware the builders only have to follow the minimum standards with construction. After learning from the dvd I realized there were parts of the construction process that my builder could have improved upon to exceed the minimum standards.

The company that produced the dvd has other books and dvds which have received 5 star ratings from Amazon Top 50 reviewers. That was the basis for my purchase decision since I know that those reviews are always valid and trustworthy.

The dvd comes with a free download guidebook that had additional information and explains what topics are and are not covered on a $20 dvd which made sense to me. For $20 it's a great deal and wonderful information. If I need more details on any particular topic due to the limits of a dvd length then I have the dvd guidebook and this company's 400+ page home inspection book which covers everything in great detail. Each dvd in the series discussed different part of the home.

Interior and Exterior home inspection dvd topics include: roof, chimneys, siding, eaves, gutters, drainage and grading, windows, walkways, entrances and porches, driveways, walls and fences, patios and terraces, decks, swimming pools, exterior structures, wood destroying insects, garage, kitchen, bathrooms, floors and stairs, walls and ceilings, windows and doors, fireplaces, attics, ventilation, insulation, basement/lower level, water penetration.

Operating Systems home inspection dvd topics include: heating systems (gas, oil, steam, hot water, and hot air heating), air-conditioning, water heaters, plumbing, well water system, septic system, electrical system, gas service, and auxiliary systems. Health Concerns topics including: asbestos insulation, radon gas, and water testing.

By far the best DVD in it's category - Teaches all essentials!.......2005-07-22

I own a very successful home inspection business in California. We use all of this authors products to train my staff since they are the by far the best products for real estate training on the market. We originally found out about these products through excellent book reviews in the local real estate publications. From that we learned the following details and decided to purchase the whole "Real Estate From A to Z" series by this author:

Nemmar Real Estate Training is ranked as the most exclusive real estate appraiser training, home inspector training, and real estate investor consulting service since 1988. Our real estate books, DVDs, CDs and Videos are rated number one in their real estate categories nationwide! Our products have taught thousands of home buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals worldwide. You too can learn everything you need to know about Real Estate - from Asbestos to Zoning. With this knowledge you will save thousands of dollars when you buy, sell, or renovate your home. You will also learn how to eliminate safety hazards and properly maintain a home. Statistics show an average savings of at least $4,700.00 per home for customers who have our books and DVD videos. Our real estate investment, home inspection, appraisal, and home improvement books have been called the "Bible" of the real estate industry. Written by Guy Cozzi, who has decades of experience as a licensed appraiser, home inspector, consultant, and real estate investor. This top selling author has been quoted as a real estate expert by the New York Times and many other publications. He has been a guest speaker on real estate investment TV shows and has taught thousands of people how to conduct home inspections, real estate appraisals, and how to invest in real estate. He also provides real estate advice to many banks and mortgage lenders.

Average customer rating:

Great twist on an old tale
Truly an awesome vampire film to date
It Was Alright
Through The Black Of Night, I Gotta Go Where You Are
william marshall make "blacula" better than it should be.

Blacula
Starring: William Marshall , Vonetta McGee , Denise Nicholas , Thalmus Rasulala , and Gordon Pinsent
Director: William Crain
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000VCZWA
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Amazon.com

William Marshall, a Shakespearean actor with a rich baritone voice, enriches this otherwise bland blaxploitation vampire film with his strong, seductive performance. He's Manuwalde, a European-educated 18th-century African prince who appeals to the Count Dracula for help in ending the slave trade. Dracula, never known as a great emancipator, puts the bite on Manuwalde's troubles, dubs him "Blacula" (the only time the name is uttered in the film), and imprisons him in a casket. Stirred to life, so to speak, centuries later in Los Angeles by gay antique hunters, he steps into the soulful '70s and splits his energies between feeding his bloodlust and wooing a young beauty (Vonetta McGee), a dead ringer for his long-dead wife. Thalmus Rasulala (Friday Foster) is a modern medical professor turned urban Van Helsing, and Elisha Cook Jr. has a bit part as a coroner with a hook for a hand. The potential for a clever urban black twist on the European vampire myth is lost in this dull, thoroughly conventional tale. Marshall is under enough sloppily applied facial hair to make him a wolfman, and his victims walk around with a plastic blue pallor. But despite the limitations, Marshall creates a magnetic, aristocratic character and infuses his monster with a sense of loss and sadness in the climax. It was followed by a sequel, Scream, Blacula, Scream, and inspired Blackenstein. For a more interesting and thoughtful African American take on the vampire legend, look to Ganja and Hess. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Urban action and fatal attraction give rise to a groove from beyond the grave in this funkadelic, fangadelic Soul Cinema sensation! The eternally cool William Marshall puts a fresh spin on the age-old legend of the vampire, condemned to wander the earth with an insatiable lust for blood. In 1780, African Prince Mamuwalde (Marshall) pays a visit to Count Dracula in Transylvania, seeking his support in ending the slave trade. Instead, the evil count curses his noble guest and transforms him into a vampire! Released from his coffin nearly two centuries later by a pair of luckless interior decorators, Mamuwalde emerges as "Blacula," one strange dude strollin' the streets of L.A. on a nightly quest for human blood!

Customer Reviews:

Great twist on an old tale.......2007-06-03

Being a big fan of classic and modern vampire films, i was a bit skeptical about Blacula when i first heard about it. After watching it, i can say it is one of the better "Vampire in modern times" films. William Marshal plays the creepy count, who, in another life was tricked by the real count Dracula and sentenced to live for eternity with the curse, and i quote"..I curse you with my name, you will be know as...BLACULA"! The film, released back in 1972 was at the time, pretty daring for the horror venue, but it did draw some crowds and has today become a cult classic. Marshall has poise, charm and sophistication and plays the count with gracefull ease. It has it's scary moments and action as well. I enjoyed it and i'm sure that if you are a fan of Vampire films, so will you! And don't forget the sequel...."Scream, Blacula, Scream", also played by marshall....His bite is outta site! Great movie!!

Truly an awesome vampire film to date.......2007-03-23

One of the most odd but yet, awesome in mind, vampire films out there today. Marshall portrays a very cool hip vamp, but, don't let it fool you, cause it can cause a wonderful great scare as well. This movie, brought back some great memories of my youth and i truly highly recommended it very much.

It Was Alright.......2006-11-06

I certainly wasn't scared. This movie was so cheesy, it was funny. So at least I had a good laugh. William Marshall was a great actor and it's a shame you don't see many actors like him around anywmore.

Through The Black Of Night, I Gotta Go Where You Are.......2006-08-22

Nothing like being prone to nostalgia!

This fun campy piece came right between Kent State and Nixon's re-election, and remains one of the most amusing entries in exploitation cinema.

The whole affair would be wasted but for the splendid performance of Shakespearean trained actor William Marshall, who brought a dignity to a film that would have been otherwise doomed to pure silliness. Through his efforts, "Blacula," which, under the perennial reign of Samuel Z. Arkoff, was lifted to a quality purely based on the strengths of one individual.

It must be remembered that "black rights" were not exactly warmly received back then. We as a nation were hot off the heels of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and some other general socio/political/economic upheavals that were very unwelcome by the powers that be.

This film was daring not only in the "blaxploitation" sense, but also in its depiction of homosexuality, still then a very much "taboo" subject...

Horror films have always been fertile ground for the "taboo," and this little film is no exception. It has it's flaws, to be sure, but, for a low budget production, it holds its own.

And, on 1970's television, it was a bit creepy!

Great fun throughout.

william marshall make "blacula" better than it should be........2006-04-26

this blaxplotion horror movie gets it's power and charm from william marshall's forceful job as an african prince bitten by dracula and later brought back to life in 1970's watts. the story gets silly in spots but just as it is about to fold under it's own weight,marshall pulls it back and makes a 2 star movie into a 4 star tour de force. the fact that hollywood never really gave this great actor better roles is the shame of the movie world.

The Cramps - Live at Napa State Mental Hospital

Average customer rating:

Fantastic.
Superior Interior
"What hath God wrought?"
Rare Cramps
Who thought of this?

The Cramps - Live at Napa State Mental Hospital
Starring: Nick Knox , Poison Ivy Rorschach , Bryan Gregory , Lux Interior , and The Cramps
Manufacturer: Mvd Visual
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00018D5RQ
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Product Description

LIVE AT NAPA STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL (CRAMPS)

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic........2007-07-18

The Cramps: Live at Napa State Mental Hospital (Anonymous, 1978)

Perhaps more important in the annals of film because it was (according to the text at the end) one of the first films shot with a handheld commercial-quality video camera, The Cramps Live at Napa State Mental Hospital serves an entirely different purpose in the annals of punk rock: this is DIY mayhem at its finest, the punk equivalent of Johnny Cash Live at Folsom Prison, except that the inmates are allowed audience participation. This little twenty-minute (note that Amazon, Blockbuster, and IMDB all incorrectly list it as sixty minutes) masterpiece should be required viewing for any musicians who style themselves "punk" these days, to see how horribly short they fall. The band are at the height of their live powers. Lux Interior manages to be slinky and hyper at the same time, kind of like a thin Harvey Keitel who's in the process of overdosing on crank, while the rest of the band just look on in amused fascination. Interior also knows how to win a crowd, no matter who that crowd may be. "Someone said you people are crazy. I ain't so sure..." Oh, yes. The music, of course, is vintage Cramps, a combination of three-chord punk and twelve-bar rockabilly with charmingly spacy lyrics. For the love of god, if you've never seen this, and you are, were, or will be a fan of anything remotely resembling punk, you must see this. Thankfully, Target have engineered a new release of the disc recently, so you can. **** ½

Superior Interior.......2007-03-14

You can't tell the musicians from the audience!!! That's the charm of this 22 minute piece of, dare I say it, madness that incredibly was allowed to be filmed. Not exactly something you would want to leave in a time capsule for people to later base their knowledge of the 1970s on [you would need to leave a rather detailed written explanation with it]. This is The Cramps at home.

"What hath God wrought?".......2006-09-05

Not everyone will love this video, but it deserves wide viewing. This is not simply for rock freaks, video oddity collectors, or Cramps completists, although all of the above will add to the five star pile.

What is compelling about this is that *this*concert*actually*happened* and it is empirical proof reality is far stranger than any imagined fiction.

1978. Punk band. Mental hospital. Stoneage video camera. Zeitgeist and ancient Dionysian rite all wrapped up in a throb and ooze. The codine and crank speedball crowd meets the Thorozine and Lithium set.

It.Really.Happened.

The obvious complaints that this is a very short video, has poor production quality, and is padded out with ghastly useless filler is simply overwhelmed by the sheer wonder that it exists at all.

"What hath God wrought?" the first message of the age of electronic communication age once had an observation on its continuingly unfolding time line of this moment.

The Cramps finally gave Morse an answer that even the deaf and insane could hear.

And feel.

Rare Cramps.......2006-02-27

Raw, primitive footage of early Cramps live! They are performing before mental patients, and at times, they look a little nervous. The audience seemed to enjoy themselves, and had no problem grabbing the microphone and joining the act! Thought I was watching a real life Marat/Sade here.

Video and sound are bad however. You have to see this as "archival" footage. An interesting watch for fans. Disk also includes previews of other video products the company sells. Underground and punk groups you may not even heard of.

Who thought of this?.......2005-08-26

Who in the world thought that The Cramps (I cut your head off and put it in my TV set) playing at a mental hospital would be a good idea? I dunno, I doubt anything like that would happen in this day & age, not that there's any bands like The Cramps around anymore. The footage of this is pretty rough, as the box says, and Lux Interior spends a lot of time wrestling the microphone away from would-be stars, but this gives you a good idea of what the original Cramps (with Bryan Gregory & Nick Knox) were like. I love the Cramps but unfortunately the footage of this event is over before you know it and all that's left to watch is some shameless self-promotion from Target Video, some of which is interesting to see (like Crime playing at San Quentin, another lapse in good sense from somebody), but a lot of which is which is just plain irritating like a long segment featuring (I think) Non, a one man show wherein this guy bangs on a lot of pieces of metal and rattles lots of "found" objects, at which point I'd had enough and turned it off. The Cramps are great but it's hard not to feel like you've just bought 20 minutes of music and 40 minutes of advertisements.

Average customer rating:

Not Full Length Episodes!
A must see for anyone considering trading their space
Bad Designers
Super short footage!
Awesome

The Best of Trading Spaces
Starring: Paige Davis , Alex McLeod , Ty Pennington , Vern Yip , and Richard Whiteford II
Manufacturer: Live / Artisan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000089763
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

This phenomenally popular reality TV series that put the Learning Channel on the map obviously hopes to further build its fan base with this nearly two-hour collection of memorable moments, behind-the-scenes segments, and crew profiles. The premise: Two sets of neighbors have 48 hours to redo a room in each other's home. At their disposal are a designer, a carpenter, and a $1,000 budget. Most entertaining are the "reveals," presented in too-brief "Love it" and "Hate it" segments. These are all subjective, of course. One couple loved their new safari-inspired bedroom. I thought it made Graceland look like Monticello. Those new to the series might want to get a few episodes under their (tool) belt to really appreciate this. Fans of the series will make it a valuable addition to their DVD library. --Donald Liebenson

Description

THE BEST OF THE BEST. Take the coolest show on daytime TV, select the best moments plus never-before-seen outrageous footage, and you have The Best of Trading Spaces. This unique DVD captures the fun, creative side of the crew and homeowners and places them in an interactive format. Meet each crew member in specially edited vignettes. Witness extreme reveals (when the homeowners see their redesigned rooms for the first time) complete with awkward moments of truth. And go behind the scenes for never-before-seen bloopers and outtakes. It's the best of the best! DO UNTO YOUR NEIGHBORS... In this one-of-a-kind decorating show, two sets of neighbors swap keys to transform one room in each other's home. They have two days, a set budget, and they're not allowed back into their own homes until the moment of truth. This is the "how-to" with a neighborly twist.

Customer Reviews:

Not Full Length Episodes!.......2007-09-10

For some reason, I was under the impression that this DVD had full length episodes of Trading Spaces, but it is really only snippets of different episodes. It was not worth the money in my opinion.

A must see for anyone considering trading their space.......2007-03-22

I watched this DVD because I thought I'd learn something about decorating (can you tell I've seldom seen this TV series?). Instead I learned that it is definitely not a good idea to turn over a room of your house to the producers of this show. The DVD reveals the behind-the-scenes interactions between the decorators and worker-bee neighbors. Although the decorators are fun and entertaining, some try to bully the neighbors into assisting with a makeover that the neighbors insist the homeowners will hate (and they are proved right). A natural approach would be to detect the homeowners' taste and take it to another level. Instead, the decorators seem to be asking themselves, how can I make this room dramatically different (thereby abandoning any pretense of pleasing the homeowners). Even the section that purports to show the reactions of people who love their makeovers falls flat--anyone who can read faces knows that at least one spouse in most of those segments was unhappy or at least unimpressed. I gave the DVD an intermediate rating because although it teaches little about decorating it would be educational for anyone considering applying for the show.

Bad Designers .......2007-02-04

This DVD is almost as bad as the show has become. 99% of the designers should all be castigated for being selfish, self-centered emotional "artists" who DO NOT take into consideration the lifestyles and tastes of the homeowners. Yes, they're working with neighbors, but the designers rarely if ever listen to what the neighbors KNOW their friends are looking for. Have you looked at the faces of people who walk into the new rooms?!?! The vast majority are stricken, feeling ill.

Where do they find these designers? They sure aren't "Christopher Lowell". There is a way to meld your style as a designer to the client, and if totally at odds, the client should prevail. Boo hiss to this show. It's nothing but shock-value TV to me at this point.

Super short footage!.......2005-07-07

This footage was sooo short and only showed highlights. The biggest disappointment was Ty Pennington was not shirtless in this DVD!

Awesome.......2005-06-27

I don't have this DVD but I want it because I love remodeling shows such as Trading Spaces, Monster House, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and a lot more. I am asking for it for my birthday. Besides I want to be either a carpenter, designer, interior designer, enterior designer, interior decorator, exterior decorater, or a contracter. So I am totally hooked.

Average customer rating:

Just the basics

Feng Shui for Dummies
Starring: For Dummies: Feng Shui for Dummies
Manufacturer: Melee
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0006UYONI
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Description

Discover how to apply practical Feng Shui principles to you life. Improve energy flow in your home. Use everyday objects and colors to promote harmony. Enhance your health, wealth, and love of life

Customer Reviews:

Just the basics.......2006-09-24

This dvd gives the basics of what Feng Shui is & interviews with top practicing experts in this field. There is only a few things told about, such as no mirrors in the bedroom, the opposite corner of the door is the command position & best for desks & beds, keep bathroom doors closed, what colors are best to represent diff areas of life which as represented in the house such as marriage, knowledge, wealth, etc. All this you can find on the net with more information. Try your local library.

Changing Rooms - Trust Me, I'm a Designer

Average customer rating:

the original and the best
Designer Let Down - Less Talking More Changing Rooms
Didn't work!

Changing Rooms - Trust Me, I'm a Designer
Starring: Carol Smillie , Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen , Graham Wynne , Andy Kane , and Anna Ryder Richardson
Director: Heather Darroch , Bob Marsden , Duncan Hess , Andrew Anderson (VI) , and Derek Hallworth
Manufacturer: BBC Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

ASIN: B00016121E
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Amazon.com

The title is a quote from star Laurence "the Cuffs" Llewelyn-Bowen himself, and Changing Rooms: Trust Me, I'm a Designer is a "best of" compilation, celebrating more than 100 editions of the popular BBC home makeover show. Although it might imply that the focus is on the designers themselves, despite their larger-than-life personalities what comes through most strongly here is the practicality of actually getting the work done. The question whether anyone other than the designers themselves actually likes the results is as cheerfully up-in-the-air as ever, of course. This compilation scores highly--perhaps higher than the show itself for anyone who's not a fan--because, with so many episodes to choose from and with the opportunity to use some snappy editing, we're spared all the finger-drumming, pacing up and down, and general waffling about, which inevitably takes up a certain amount of time in any individual edition. Instead, we move neatly and quickly between ideas, discussions, and practical considerations in a very un-boring fashion. Of course, there's plenty of fun along the way, such as the absolutely priceless moment when Llewelyn-Bowen nearly convinces "Handy" Andy Kane that he has to board over a swimming pool and create two rooms from the resulting space using only the inevitable MDF (medium-density fiberboard). It's instructive, great fun, and a very neat package of material. --Roger Thomas

Description

"Trust me... I'm a designer!" Many neighbors did... and regretted it. Others had their doubts but were delighted. It's all here: the highs, the lows, the tears and the tantrums that make up the best of Changing Rooms, hosted by Carol Smillie, with personal insights from some of your favorite designers.

DVD Features:
Additional Scenes
Biographies:Overview of the designers and their most memorable creations
Deleted Scenes
Outtakes

Customer Reviews:

the original and the best.......2007-04-25

With copies of this show being made all over the world, I have to say that the UK version is the original and the best. It is the personalities of the designers, Handy Andy and Carole that make the show, and there are plenty of "personality" moments on this DVD as well as some of our favorite rooms. I wish BBC would release the entire ten seasons on DVD.

Designer Let Down - Less Talking More Changing Rooms.......2007-03-27

This DVD was more of a commentary by select designers of the UK series than a encore of favorite episodes. Quite honestly the designers of the show aren't the draw. It is the wacky, drastic, and sometimes disasterous exchange of change that occurs between two consenting neighbors. The draw of the show is the concept of someone giving up a room in their home, reluctant but oddly excited at the same time, in order for a neighbor and "some pal" they've chosen to come in and totally redesign it. This DVD however, is more of a tribute to the designers themselves. We see some bloopers, select designer interviews, favorite moments, and basically none of the good stuff that really attracts viewers to the show. Don't bother adding this one to your library. Stick to watching episodes on BBC!

Didn't work!.......2006-06-28

My dvd player had problems with regional blocking and pc drive could not read it either.

Average customer rating:

I'II TAKE SWEDEN
Bob Hope Learns About Love the Swedish Way in Cute 1960's Comedy
Bob Hope and Sweden rule!!!
Pretty Bad
I'll take Sweden... back to Best Buy for a refund. Ha!

I'll Take Sweden
Starring: Bob Hope , Tuesday Weld , Frankie Avalon , Dina Merrill , and Jeremy Slate
Director: Frederick De Cordova
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0007O38ZS
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Description

Bob Hope leads an all-star castincluding Frankie Avalon (Beach Party), Tuesday Weld (Bachelor Flat) and Dina Merrill (Operation Petticoat)in this deliriously funny comedy about a beleaguered dad and his ocean-hopping attempt to keep his teenage daughter from marrying! Bob Holcomb (Hope) will do anything to stop his daughter JoJo (Weld) from tying the knot withher lazy boyfriend (Avalon), even move her all the way to Sweden! But once they're "safely" out of the country, JoJo falls for a sly Swedish playboy. Content with a new love of his own (Merrill) and faced with the prospect of more heartbreak for JoJo, Bob makes secret plans for another international trip one that should make everyone happy.

Customer Reviews:

I'II TAKE SWEDEN.......2007-08-10

A WONDERFUL FEEL GOOD MOVIE,WITH MANY AMUSING MOMENTS, THE THE VERY FUNNY BOB HOPE IS CLASSIC,AND FUNNY AT HIS BEST.GREAT SUPPORTING CAST WITH TUESDAY WELDS AND FRANKIE AVALON. A GREAT SATURDAY IN MOVIE.

Bob Hope Learns About Love the Swedish Way in Cute 1960's Comedy.......2005-12-29

While it would never be considered anywhere near the best comedy Bob Hope ever made "I'll Take Sweden", has it's own quaint charm coming as it does from a much more innocent age in movie making. The "sexy" goings on in the storyline, probably considered 'risque", back in 1963 now of course seem positively tame by today's standards which in my belief gives this film it's antique appeal. The film was in many ways a wise career move for veteran comedian Bob Hope as here he succeeded in moving with the times, placing himself right in among the supposed "hip" movie going crowd of the mid 1960's who would have gone to see this film mainly because of it's two young and extremely popular costars in the beautiful Tuesday weld and singing sensation turned movie actor Frankie Avalon.

Bob Hope and Sweden rule!!!.......2005-09-15

This is a superb 60's comedy starring Bob Hope,Tuesday Weld and Frankie Avalon filmed mostly in beautiful Sweden.It's a must see!!!!!!!!

Pretty Bad.......2005-07-21

I got this DVD because I am Swedish and it seemed like it could be a fun comedy from the mid-60s. While it does have a few funny moments, boy is it bad! I can't decide what was worst: the very dated plot, the overacting, the literally laughable special effects, or the worst Swedish I have ever heard! I also can't figure out why anyone went to the trouble of releasing this turkey on DVD. Avoid this DVD.

I'll take Sweden... back to Best Buy for a refund. Ha!.......2005-07-16

Wow, this movie is bad. I'm a huge Bob Hope fan, and I really like some of his later films... The Private Navy or Sgt. O'Farrell, How to Commit Marriage. But this movie is the PITS! The story centers around Bob's surf goddess daughter and the obsession Bob holds for her virginity. Uncomfortable. People who where alive for the sixties may be amused by how incredibly off-base this movie's depiction of the era's youth culture is, and fans of music will dig the lyrics to the films title song, as crooned by Frankie Avalon: "I'll never get bored, of smorgasbord, I'll take Sweden, ya-ya-ya." So, so bad. But it is a shade away from craptastic.

Weekend Painter's DVD. How to Paint Like a Pro!

Average customer rating:

WOW!!!!!
AMAZINGLY EASY

Weekend Painter's DVD. How to Paint Like a Pro!

Manufacturer: Weekend Painter's DVD Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Product Features:

First Of It's Kind DVD! Short-cuts on Painting! Basic & Advanced Brush & Roller Techniques!
Speed Painting Method! Step by Step Demonstrations! Tool list and patching too!
Instructions by a Licensed Painting Contractor! Visit weekendpaintersdvd.com to view a video clip!
For the price of a paint brush, Weekend Painter's can now learn exactly how the Pro's Paint!
In just under 2 hours this First Of It's Kind DVD could transform the beginner into a novice, and a novice into an intermediate painter! Just by watching the demonstrations and applying what you see to your own Painting Projects! Finishing Faster & with Superior Results!

ASIN: B000PLZIDI

Product Description

The host, Greg Martin, an actual Licensed Painting Contractor with over 34 years experience, has devised this simple method for all homeowners and renters alike to Speed-Up their Weekend Painting Time. Perhaps for the first time Weekend Painter's can learn exactly how the Pro's Paint, avoiding common mistakes beforehand, and accomplishing what they never thought possible before this! House Painting Instructional DVD. How to Paint Like a Pro! Lessons on learning and mastering the brush and roller. First Of It's Kind DVD! Step by Step Demonstrations! Tool list and patching too. Interior demonstrations. Easy to learn and Quick to do!

Customer Reviews:

WOW!!!!!.......2007-05-10

I always watch those do it yourself shows on TV, never learned much....until I got this DVD, there is sooo much information, clearly and thoroughly explained and demonstrated, it really made me feel confident I could do a good job of painting my bedroom and hallway, which I did, and I'm happy to report ,to rave reviews!!!!

Just one (actually two) word: GET IT!!!!!, you'll be glad you did

AMAZINGLY EASY.......2007-05-04

Well, painting is the last thing that I wanted to do and the only reason I purchased this DVD was to have my wife watch it so she could paint the kitchen herself. I hate painting!! After watching the DVD with her, we both were able to work together and completely finish the job from start to finish, in a single afternoon.

If you are not a professional painter, I would highly recommend this DVD.

DVD:

DVD

DVD